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Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Danielle asks: I'm a new host. I would love for you guys to share some of those ‘aha moments’ of becoming first time hosts and falling into certain pitfalls. Can you share some examples where you have fallen for a trick or something to...

We’re excited to welcome Jon Styer, a real estate broker and owner of Styer Real Estate Professionals and Styer Hospitality Co., a short- and mid-term rental management company in Columbus, OH. Led by Jon and his wife, Sara, Styer Hospitality has grown to more than 50 doors under management in just over a year. But Jon has been in the real estate space for years before that. In this episode, we ta...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Leslie asks: I want to ask y'all about backup plans. I've heard you talk about what to do if internet goes down. I do not have a backup plan for this, so I wanted to hear about that. I can't wait to hear what you say about all of your...

We’re thrilled to welcome Alexa Nota and Dave Krauss, co-founders of Rent Responsibly. Rent Responsibly is a community building and education platform on a mission to support short-term rental operators. They bring people in the STR community together, promote fair and reasonable regulation, and give hosts the tools they need to advocate for themselves. One of those tools is the new State Of The S...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Diana asks: I am trying to furnish my first Airbnb, and I'm in the throes of figuring out which mattress to choose. You mentioned a hybrid, and I can't find links to the one you recommend. What do you suggest? (00:02:59) The Hybrid Mat...

Today, we’re excited to pass the mic to one of our longtime Hosting Business Mastermind members, Tanya Rooney. Tanya interviewed us for her podcast, Tribe Builders, and we’re sharing the full conversation here. Through our Hosting Business Mastermind, Tanya found her tribe in the short-term rental space. The women she met in the mastermind helped inspire her real estate, business, and personal gro...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Vanessa asks: I have a pet-friendly apartment on 5 acres in rural Florida and added 7 wildlife warnings to my welcome book. Is this too much information, or is it better to warn guests about potential risks? (00:01:42) The Importance o...

Curious about what's going on behind our latest investment in the 134 acres of Hocking Hills? We’re diving into why we told our construction team to stop, how we're preparing to approach private money lenders, and the fun (and challenges) we’re facing with this glamping project. We also discuss how we approached working with someone to create financial models, lessons learned, and our next steps....

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Delilah asks: How do I address concerns with property owners who constantly monitor security cameras and update me on guests' activities, without offending them or jeopardizing our working relationship? (00:01:03) Delilah Asks: How Do...

Today, we're excited to welcome back a familiar face, Colleen Prochaska, a key player in our property management team, managing everything from guest services to revenue management. In this episode you’ll get a peek inside our in-depth quarterly meetings where we review how things are going and where we're headed in our short term rental business. In this episode, we'll be diving into the past thr...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Matthew asks: Should I switch to a midterm rental strategy to address our slow winter season and if so, what’s the best website for leads? How can I protect my property against potential squatters? (00:01:36) Hosting Hotline Success St...

Today’s expert guest is Keith Brady. Owner of Florida Vacation Rental Law, he’s Florida's leading authority on vacation rentals. Keith has dedicated his career to the vacation rental industry and offers counsel to governments, businesses, and individuals. Keith’s here to give us the cold hard facts about vacation rental chargebacks. The truth is, you’re very likely to be at risk! More truths? Char...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. John asks: I'm in a ton of Facebook groups, and the most common question I'm seeing is… Should I charge for this or that? It could be a stained towel, a broken plate, a mark on a chair, all the way to wall damage or broken tiles. There...

Today’s expert guests are the owner/operators of Howzit Hostels, a growing brand of hostels based in the Hawaiian Islands. Michael and Nathan discuss their journey beginning with investing in short-term rentals to scaling up to commercial and hospitality properties. They currently own two hostels, one in Maui and the other on the Big Island of Hawaii, with a combined bed count of approximately 140...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Suzie asks: I am new to co-hosting and I want my contract to be thorough, but not too nitpicky. What are some items you would add to your co-hosting contract today that you didn't think of when you were first starting out? Repair and m...

Today’s expert guest is Isaac French, the visionary creator behind Live Oak Lake, a stunning 7-cabin landscape hotel nestled in the heart of Texas. Having recently sold the venture, Isaac is now channeling his passion and expertise into Experiential Hospitality, a vibrant community and masterclass program for elite hospitality entrepreneurs. In this eye-opening conversation, we learn about how Isa...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Marie asks: We are wondering if we should get a PMS. We have four properties. They're all on Airbnb, and they're doing well. We're about to bring on a fifth and we're wondering if now is the time, but we are truly overwhelmed with all...

Today’s expert guest is Nick Taylor, driver of strategic direction at Nox Cape Town Villas & Apartments in South Africa, and steward of its real estate portfolio worth more than $150M USD. With an educational background in hotel operations, he saw early career success for a top hotel brand in London. After learning how to manage a top-of-class operation, Nick was inspired to bring his talents...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Katie asks: We're about to start our first short-term rental. My question right now is… How important is it to have drawers in the bedrooms? I currently don't have drawers. I don't really want to add them because I like the look and th...

In today’s episode, we’re getting (painfully) real. We felt the need, after seeing a flood of negativity in online STR spaces, to bring this all back to its foundation – why do we work in hospitality, anyway? What does it mean to truly serve the guest? And, how can we go above and beyond in that mission? As open and honest as ever, we recount some educational examples from our recent, and not so r...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Megan asks: I have a question about how to handle an incident that occurred in one of my units. Some event or incident occurred that caused significant damage. This included wall repairs, couch cleaning, rug cleaning, and replacing som...

Today’s expert guest is our new friend, Louis Andrews, President and Director of OVO Network, a company specializing in the short-term rental of high-end mountain chalets in authentic destinations, primarily in the French Alps. We met Louis on our castle STR retreat, and knew he’d provide great insight for our listeners. Under his leadership, OVO Network manages 218 properties, focusing on blendin...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Megan asks: I live in the Dallas, Texas area and I am getting into the Airbnb business. I really wanted to start one in my local area, first, but Dallas recently banned short-term rentals in single-family areas. Right now, I'm limited...

Today’s special episode comes to you live from the showroom floor of the 3rd Annual IMN Short-Term Rental Forum in Austin. We sit down with a few expert attendees; recap our findings from presenters, sessions, and roundtables; and start to apply new lessons to our own businesses. Denise Poteet, from Safari for the Soul Glamping in Marble Falls, gives us some juicy tips for creating an audience-spe...

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Elaine asks: We have an outdoor tub, but we do not have a hot tub. We've been getting some feedback from guests wishing that we had a hot tub. I would love to know a great brand, tips for upkeep, and insurance. Do you have to change th...